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The Holmen School Board plans to appoint Carlson to the top post at its May 12 meeting, said Cheryl Hancock, board president.
Carlson, principal of Janesville (Wis.) Parker High School, will be Holmen’s fifth district administrator, and will succeed Fred Frick, who retires June 30. He was selected from an initial field of 22 candidates.
“During the search process, we heard many good things about Dr. Carlson,” Hancock said, “but a constant theme from those who we sought input from (was) that he is student-focused, a strong leader, ethical, genuine, committed to improvement and passionate about lifelong learning, both personally
and for his colleagues and students.”
Carlson said he looks forward to continuing the district’s emphasis on education when he begins July 1.
“What impressed me most about the school district is the high level of involvement and commitment of parents, students and the community to provide high quality education to its students,” Carlson said. “I am excited and look forward to becoming part of this family here in Holmen.”
Carlson comes to the Holmen School District with 23 years in education — 10 as a high school math teacher in Mauston and La Crosse in Wisconsin and in Houston, Minn., four as an assistant principal and nine as a high school principal, both at Janesville Parker.
He has degrees from Augustana College in Sioux Falls, S.D., and Winona State University in Winona, Minn., and a doctorate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in educational leadership and policy
analysis.
Carlson was recognized as Administrator of the Year in the Janesville School District and as a Friend of DECA by Wisconsin DECA in 2007.
His wife, Sharon, is a deaf and hard of hearing teacher, and they have two sons, Andrew and Thomas.
Autumn Grooms can be reached at (608) 791-8424 or agrooms@lacrossetribune.com.
